Button.



PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

TQJ. WINANS'.

BUTTON. APPLIGATION'IILBD JAN.16. 1901.

I"! NORRIS I'm-En: co., wAsnmomN, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS 'J. WINANS, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORIQ'ASSIGN'OR TO JOSEPH K. NOYES, EXEOUTOR OF JOSEPH P. NOYES, AND JOSEPH K. N OYES AND THOMAS M. N OYES, OF BIN GHAMTON, NEW YORK, OOPARTNERS UNDER FIRM-NAME OF JOSEPH P. NOYES & COMPANY.

BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed January 16, 1901. Serial No. 43,469.

T all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. WINANs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, county of Broome, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

buttons of the class known as self-fastening or bachelors buttons'that is to say, buttons comprising two members or parts, one called the rivet and the other the colr 5 let, which are united together by introducing the shank of the rivet into the collet and securing it in such position by means of a suitable spring holding device, which engages and interlocks with the shank of the rivet as it is thus introduced.

The improvements of the present invention have reference to the button as a whole and also to each of the members or parts thereof, as well as to a novel construction of holding device whereby the two members of the button are secured together.

The improvements of the present invention also relate to the combination, with such holding device or similar holding devices, of a cap adapted to be inserted in an opening in the collet and when so inserted to frictionally engage such holding device and hold it against rotation for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of an organization embodying the several features of the present invention, such description will now be given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a button embodying the present invention, showing the collet and rivet assembled and secured together by a holding device. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view .of the body portion or collet of the button. Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of the rivet member of the button. Fig. 5 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the holding device for securing the rivet member of the button to the body This invention relates to improvements in portion or collet thereof; and Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, illustrating another form of rivet, which will be hereinafter referred to. Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sections on the line 9 10 of Fig. 2, illustrating the manner in which the collet and rivet of the button may be disconnected when desired.

Referring to said drawings, a represents the collet, and I) the rivet, of the button, the

latter member when the two members are being assembled being passed through the material to which the button is to be secured and introduced into the collet a, to which it is then secured by a holding device (hereinafter described) engaging shoulders formed in the shank of the rivet, The collet a is formed of sheet metal having a countersunk central portion forming a recessed hub or neck (1, which is provided with a central open ing 6 for the introduction of the shank of the rivet b. The recess in the hub d is of such size and so formed as to adapt it to containthe end of the rivet b and also the holding device H, by which the rivet member of the button is secured to the collet a. The collet a is also provided with a cup-shaped cap f, formed of sheet metal and which is adapted to be inserted into the hub or neck d and when so inserted to fit snugly therein and to engage the holding device and inclose the latter and the end of the rivet member 6.

The rivet b is provided with the usual head 9 for retaining the rivet in position in the material through which its shank is passed, the shank of the rivet being swaged or tapered for a portion of its length, as shown at h, to facilitate its passage through the material and also its introduction into the collet a and its engagement with the holding device in the neck or hub d. Beneath its swaged or tapered portion h .the shank of the rivet is provided on opposite sides with notches forming shoulders i for engagement with the holding device in the hub or neck (1, these notches or shoulders being of peculiar form for a purpose which will presently be explained.

The holding device H (shown in detail in Fig. 6) is formed of suitable spring-wire and consists of a horizontal portion or loop Z, with other portions or depending loops formed from opposite ends of said loop and bent so as to provide portions j for entering the notches in the shank of the rivet and engaging the shoulderst and other portions k k for giving the necessary strength and resil ency to the holding device, extending up wardly from opposite ends and inwardly over the rivet-engaging portions 9'. By bending the wire forming the holding device in this way the effectiveness of the holding device is increased and the several parts thereof are grouped together into small com pass, with the result not only of economy, in

the amount of material employed in forming the holding device itself, but in the material employed in forming the body of the button, as the holding device, being of small size, can readily be contained in the neck d or central portion of the collet, so that a face-plate for the collet may be dispensed with (although one may be employed, if desired) and the holding device be covered up or inclosed by-a small cup-shaped cap, as the cap f, inserted in the neck (1 in inverted position, as shown. The horizontal loop of the holding device, as shown and as preferred, conforms substantially to the curvature of the cap f and is of such size as to be frictionally engaged and held by the cap f, so as to be prevented thereby from turning when it is desired to remove the rivet, and thus disconnect the latter from the collet.

It will be understood that the rivet-engag ing portions of the holding device are suitably distanced apart and that these and the other portions of the holding device are of proper resiliency, so as to permit the passage of the shank of the rivet between the rivet engaging portions 9' and to insure the return of such engaging portions after the passage of the shoulders & into position to properly interlock with said shoulders, and thus securely unite the collet and the rivet of the button.

g In a spring-metal rivet-holding device such as shown, as well as with others used prior to my invention, the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device in the bending of the wire to form the holding device or while in engagement with the shoulders on the rivet assume a somewhat curved shape, With the ends of such curved rivet-engaging portions extending upward or toward the tapered end of the rivet. Because of this it is. impossible with the notches or shoulders as heretofore formed to secure and maintain during use of the button such an engagement between the rivet and the holding device as will prevent separationof the two when subjected to strain. The reason for this is that these shoulders are ordinarily formed by making cuts or notches transversely across the rivet or grooves around the rivet, with the result that the edges of the shoulders engage the rivet-engaging portions of the wires upon surfaces oblique to the direction of the pull on the rivet, so that when the rivet is subjected to strain or pull the shoulders force or wedge these rivet-engaging portions outward until they are finally disengaged from or slip off the shoulders, the rivet and holding device thus becoming disconnected. To avoid this difficulty, the shoulders t of the present invention are made so as to extend over or beyond the axis or center of the wire at the rivet-engaging portions and also curve upwardly,

thereby avoiding contact between the edges of the shouldersi and the curved portions of the wires, with the result that the shoulders, unlike those just referred to, will'interlock positively with the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device. In other words, I make the contacting or under surfaces of these shoulders normal to the pull on the rivet instead of obliquely, as in some prior forms, or else slightly undercut, so that no matter what strain or pull the rivet may be subjected to the shoulders will not force or spread such rivet-engaging portions apart,

but will remain positively interlocked therewith, and thus prevent separation of the rivet and holding {device Preferably these shoulders are formed by cutting to a depth of somewhat more than half the diameter-of the wire notches, as shown, in the shank of the rivet, so that the undersurfaces of the shoulders and not the edges thereof will engage the rivet-engaging' portions of the holding device and so that such engagement will take place in line with or beyond the centers or axes of such rivet-engaging portions.

The upward curvature' of the shoulders 'iis approximately that of the depending loops is of the holding device; but it is preferable to curve the shoulders, as shown, on an are slightly less than that of such loops, as in that case each loop will-make contact at a single point with its rivet-engaging portion j, on which point the rivet is free to rock without disturbing the holding device in any way. Shoulders of this form also not only insure such proper interlocking of the holding device and rivet so as to prevent separation of the collet and rivet, but permit a certain amount of looseness to exist between the holding device and the rivet or a certain amount of variation in the distance apart of the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device without affecting in any way the holding power of the latter, so that a saving'both in time and labor in the manufacture of the holding device is effected, in that absolute accuracy in the formation of the holding device or in the distance apart of its rivetengaging portions is rendered unnecessary. The rivet-engaging portions j of the holding device also are slightly curved, as shown in Fig. 10, so as to conform to the slight curvature of the notches around or'tran'sversely to the'shank of the-rivet.

The end of the shank of the rivet i2 is preferably of the form best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. I have found that conical pointed rivets, such as shown in the prior art, and also pyramidal-pointed rivets when made sufficiently sharp to penetrate cloth, require considerable height within the button or collet and would also be liable to puncture the cap f when snapped into the button forcibly. To avoid these difficulties, I have made the tapered end of the rivet b of two inclined cylindrical surfaces It intersecting in a curved line, which shaped rivet will pierce through cloth more readily, than a very short cone or pyramid or blunt rivet and require less height within the button than a suitably-pointed cone or pyramid. A rivet with a pyramidal or sharpointed end, however, may be employed, i desired, without departing from other features of the present invention, a suitable rivet of this character, provided with the curved notches of Figs. 4 and 5, being shown in Figs-7 and 8. The rivet b is also preferably elliptical, or substantially so, in cross-section at the notched portions thereof, with the notches on opposite sides of its longer axis, so that by turning the collet and rivet one upon the other from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10 the rivet-engaging portions j of the holding device may be spread apart and brought in line with. cylindrical portions of the rivet, so that the latter may be withdrawn from the holding device and the collet and rivet separated. To so disengage the rivet and holding device, all that it is necessary to do is to hold the rivet firmly in-one hand and turn the collet upon it, or vice versa, until the rivet and holding device are in the osition shown in Fig. 10, when the rivet can he readily pulled out, the holding device being pre vented from turning by the frictional engagement with it of the cap f, the friction between which and the holding device being increased as the rivet is turned and spreads apart the rivet-engaging portions j of the holding device.

What I claim is 1. A rivetholding device of spring metal adapted to be spread apart to permit the entrance of a rivet between them, in combination with a collet provided with a central recess or depression adapted to contain said holding device, substantially as described.

3. A rivet-holding device of spring metal for self fastening buttons, comprising a transverse upper member and two members depending from opposite ends thereof and provided with rivet-engaging portions adapted to be spread apart to permit the entrance of a rivet between them, in combination with a cupshaped cap adapted to inclose and frictionally engage said holding device, and a collet provided with a recess or depression adapted to contain said cap and holding device, substantially described.

4. A rivet-holding device of spring metal for self-fastening buttons, comprising a trans verse member and two members each bent into a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the transverse member and provided at their ends with opposed rivet-engaging portions adapted to be spread apart by the entrance of a rivet between them, in combination with a rivet having shoulders adapted to extend over the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device, said rivet-engaging portions and said shoulders being so formed and so related to each other as to positively interlock and prevent spreading apart .of said rivet-engaging portions when the holding device and rivet are pulled in opposite directions, substantially as described.

5. A rivetholding device of spring metal for self-fastening buttons, comprising rivetengaging portions adapted to be spread apart for the entrance of a rivet between them, in combination with a rivet having shoulders adapted to extend over and positively interlock with the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device and prevent spreading apart thereof when the holding device and rivet are pulled in opposite directions, the ends of the engaging faces of each of said shoulders extending upwardly, substantially as described.

6. A rivet-holding device of spring metal for self-fastening buttons, comprising rivet engaging portions adapted to be spread apart for the entrance of a rivet between them, in combination with a rivet having shoulders adapted to extend over and positively interlock with the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device and prevent spreading apart thereof when the holding device and rivet are pulled in opposite directions, said shoulders being curved upwardly, substantially as described.

7. A rivet-holding device of spring metal for self-fastening buttons, comprising upwardly-curvedrivet-engaging portions adap ted to be spread apart for the entrance-of a rivet between them, in combination with a rivet having shoulders adapted to extend over and positively interlock with the rivetengaging portions of the holding device and revent' spreading apart thereof when the olding device and rivet are pulled in opposite directions, said shoulders being also curved upwardly but onsmaller arcs than the rivet-engaging portions of the holding device, substantially as described.

8. A'rivet-holding device of spring metal a rivet having shoulders adapted to extendover and positively interlock with the rivetengaging portions of the holding device and prevent spreading apart thereof when the holding device and rivet are pulled in opposite directions, substantially as described.

9. A collet provided with a central recess or depression forming a neck for receiving a rivet, and" acupshaped cap adapted to be inserted in and to-frictionally engage the vertical walls of saidrecessor depression and be held by such engagement in said recess, in.

combination with a rivet-holding device adapted to be contained insaid cap, substantially as described.

1 0. A- collet provided" with arecess or de- 'pression forming a neck for'receiving a'rivet,

insaid' cap, said holding device being ofsuch size and so shaped relatively to said cap-as to be frictionally held by the latter whenit is-in'v serted into said recess or depression; substantially as described;

11. A rivet for self-fastening buttons, provided on opposite sides with shoulders-for engagement with a rivet-holding device, the sides ofeach of said shoulders diverging upwardly toward the end-ofthe rivet, substantially as described.

12. A rivet for self-fastening buttons, provided with a tapered end and on opposite sideswith shoulders for engagement with a rivet-holding device, the sides of-each of said shoulders diverging upwardly toward the end of the rivet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

B. A. BAUMANN, H. J. 'GAYLoRD. 

